So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's StLJN's latest wrap-up of assorted links and short news items of local interest:

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was interviewed about his forthcoming album The Mugician by Billboard magazine.

* Last Saturday's Alton Wine and Jazz Festival, which was headlined by Harrold, was the subject of a feature story from the Alton Riverbender's Steven Spencer.

* In other Harrold family news, drummer Emanuel Harrold (pictured), who's Keyon's younger brother, was interviewed by Tony Minvielle of the UK online radio station Jazz FM. 

* The Brothers Lazaroff promoted their gigs this weekend at Jazz at the Bistro with an appearance on the morning news at KTVI - FOX 2.

* Multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris was interviewed about his score for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ presentation of Blow, Winds by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn.

The production, a re-imagining of King Lear written by Nancy Bell, will be performed at 8:00 pm nightly starting Friday, September 15 through Sunday, September 17 outside of the St. Louis Public Library’s Central Library Branch downtown.

* Saxophonist Donny Piela of the St. Louis Big Band was profiled by the Washington Missourian.

Jazz this week: Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O, Frank Sinatra Jr., Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker," and more

With the holidays fast approaching, this week's calendar of jazz and creative in music in St. Louis offers seasonally themed shows from both touring and local musicians, as well as one more tribute to Frank Sinatra's 100th birthday from a rather authoritative source.
Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 16
Drummer Matt Wilson will be spreading holiday cheer with his band Christmas Tree-O (pictured, top left) for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Wilson - a first-call percussionist, wily bandleader, and natural showman - is well-known to St. Louis jazz fans, having played here multiple times in recent years with his quartet, his group Arts and Crafts and, in a one-nighter last year at Joe's Cafe, the Christmas Tree-O.

Obviously, that gig was received well-enough to prompt a more extended engagement, and so you can find out more about Christmas Tree-O and see video of some of their skilled yet skewed renditions of seasonal favorites in this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also tonight, Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "open mic" at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, December 17
Miss Jubilee will play swing, jump blues and more in an early evening show at Blues City Deli; and guitarist Dave Black, singer Feyza Eren and friends will perform at Nathalie’s.

Friday, December 18
The Funky Butt Brass Band brings their very popular "Holiday Brasstravaganza" back to the south side rock club Off Broadway for the first of two evenings. (As of this writing, Saturday already is sold out, so if you want to attend and don't already have a ticket, it's Friday or nothing.)

Also on Friday, the St. Louis Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and the Big Little Big Band will combine two timely topics in a single show with their "Tribute to Frank Sinatra and Christmas!" at The Abbey in Belleville.

Saturday, December 19
Speaking of Ol' Blue Eyes, his son Frank Sinatra, Jr will pay tribute to his famous father with a performance of "Sinatra Sings Sinatra - The Centennial Celebration" on Saturday at Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts.

The multi-media extravaganza features Sinatra Jr. (pictured, bottom left) telling stories and singing some of his dad's most popular songs, accompanied by a big band with strings as well as historic photos, video and audio of Sinatra the elder.

UPDATE - 2:15 p.m., 12/16/15: Due to illness, Frank Sinatra Jr's performance at the Scheidegger Center has been postponed until Saturday, May 21, 2016. 
UPDATE - 2:30 p.m. 12/17/15:  The Scheidegger Center says box office staff members will get in touch with ticket holders individually to exchange tickets or make refunds.

Also on Saturday, pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True will provide the jazz in "A Jazz and Choral Christmas" at the Webster Groves Christian Church; and trumpeter Jim Manley returns to One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar.

Monday, December 21
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band plays Duke Ellington’s re-imagining of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" at Jazz at the Bistro, rounding out the program with additional Ellington material played from the original arrangements.

Tuesday, December 22
Drummer Bernard Long Jr. and band will play a benefit for the Normandy HS jazz band program at NV Social Life in Ballwin.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short news items of local interest:

* The late trumpeter and St. Louis native Clark Terry is being honored with a 900 square foot painting on a building in the Carondelet neighborhood. Per a story on local Fox affiliate KTVI (Channel 2), artist Ray Harvey grew up in the area and was commissioned by the Carondelet Community Betterment Federation to design and paint the mural (pictured), which can be seen at the corner of South Broadway and Schirmer.

* Shanara Gabrielle's show last week for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed by Mark Bretz of Ladue News and Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX. Lavazzi also weighed in with a review of Maxine Linehan's festival performance.

* The St. Louis Big Band celebrated their fifth anniversary as an ensemble, and have posted to Facebook an album of photos from the party.

* Speaking of photo albums, Lindy Hop St. Louis has posted one to Facebook collecting pix from their recent "Enchantment Under The Sea" dance.

* Just in time for the holidays, saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie and trumpeter Tim Osiek of the Oikos Ensemble have published Worship in a New Key: Jazz Christmas Carols, the second book of musical arrangements in their Worship Jazz series, plus two scripts for "Jazz Nativity" programs that can be be used for concert presentations or adapted for worship services.

* Jazz St. Louis is looking for a part-time box office assistant to work 15 to 20 hours a week. For more information about the job and how to apply, see their website.

* Theatrical producers Fox Associates are opening a new nightspot, the Curtain Call Lounge, in the storefront space on Grand immediately adjacent to the Fox Theatre's front door. A story about the bar in St. Louis magazine suggests that live music will be added in the near future.

* Harris Stowe State University and the Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute inducted six musicians and one "jazz advocate" into their St. Louis Jazz Hall of Fame in ceremonies held Sunday night as part of the HSSU alumni gala at the Ferring Jazz Bistro. The honorees included vocalist Mae Wheeler and guitarist Eddie Fisher, both inducted posthumously, along with saxophonists Dwayne Bosman and Dwight Bosman of the Bosman Twins, pianists Ptah Williams and Herb Drury, and broadcaster Don Wolff.

Jazz this week: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Tom McDermott, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in and around St. Louis includes shows from a couple of New Orleans acts - one a former St. Louisan - as well as a diverse assortment of performances from local musicians.

Let's go to the highlights....

Thursday, August 6
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be swinging in the swanky confines of the Ritz Carlton Hotel's Lobby Lounge, and guitarist Dave Black and friends, including singer Joe Mancuso, will perform at Nathalie's.

Friday, August 7
Pianist Tom McDermott,  a St. Louis native who since the 1980s has made his home in New Orleans, will be back town to perform at the Tavern of Fine Arts. McDermott (pictured, top left) has earned a reputation as an expert on historic New Orleans jazz and blues piano styles, mixing in classical music, Brazilian choro, and more as the mood strikes him.

Meanwhile, Jazz at the Bistro will host the first of two nights of "Saturday Night Fish Fry," featuring blues guitarist and singer Mike Aguirre (pictured, center left) and a backing group including members of the Funky Butt Brass Band, musicians who have played with Albert King and Chuck Berry, and Jazz St. Louis' own Bob Bennett on tenor sax.

Elsewhere around town, singer Eve Seltzer performs at Evangeline’s; and pianist Ptah Williams and guitarist Eric Slaughter will play at Thurman Grill.

Saturday, August 8
Also from New Orleans, multi-instrumentalist and singer Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue (pictured, lower left) will perform outdoors at Ballpark Village's City View Concert Stage.

With a galvanizing live show, Shorty has crossed over successfully to jam-band and rock audiences, and given his increasing popularity plus the availability of cheap general admission tickets, this gig should draw a large crowd. You can check out some sample live performances from Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue in this video post from last week.

Also on Saturday, singer Joe Scalzitti and the St. Louis Big Band begin the final weekend of their tribute show "Sinatra at 100" at the Kranzberg Arts Center; guitarist Vincent Varvel and pianist Adam Maness will play at Tavern of Fine Arts; and trumpeter Jim Manley's All-Star Group returns to Nathalie's.

Sunday, August 9
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents a matinee performance by pianist Pat Joyce at the Ozark Theatre, and Gypsy jazz duo Coco Rico will play an early evening show at Nathalie's.

Monday, August 10
Trumpeter Keith Moyer plays at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, August 11
Singer Feyza Eren will perform at Evangeline's.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short news items of local interest:

* Drummer Mark Colenburg (pictured) has recorded a new promotional video for Zildjian's "Cover To Cover" series, playing a version of Radiohead's "Packed Like Sardines."

* Speaking of videos, the St. Louis Big Band has posted a new one on YouTube featuring excerpts from their shows "Sinatra at 100," which continues through next Sunday at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

* Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg of Dr. Lonnie Smith's band has posted to Facebook an album of photos from Smith's most recent St. Louis gig with Lionel Loueke in May at Jazz at the Bistro.

* Metro East audio equipment manufacturer Heil Sound is expanding, adding 3,200 square feet of space to their Fairview Heights warehouse.

* The Nevermore Jazz Ball announced this week that advance tickets for 2015's event are sold out. More information on a wait list, pass transfers, and the NJB's free public events will be forthcoming at a later date.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, “Somethin’ Else” host Calvin Wilson will dig into the catalog of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will play tracks from Four80East, Dave Koz, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, James Lloyd, Keyon Harrold, the JT Project, Gato Barbieri, Down To The Bone, Slash, Young-Holt Unlimited, Funky Butt Brass Band, Vincent Varvel, Feyza Eren and Dawn Weber.

Wilson's program begins at 8:00 p.m., followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., and can be heard over the air on 107.3 FM, on HD radio at 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

"Sinatra at 100" to play July 23 through August 9 at Kranzberg Arts Center

The St. Louis Big Band and singer Joe Scalzitti will present "Sinatra at 100," a show paying tribute to the centenary of Frank Sinatra's birth, starting Thursday, July 23 and continuing through Sunday, August 9 at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Incorporating tunes such as "New York, New York," "Come Fly With Me," "Fly Me To The Moon," "Night & Day," "Blue Skies," and more, the show tracks the singer's career chronologically, starting with his early hits and continuing through the performances at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas that helped make Sinatra (pictured) and his "Rat Pack" pals into showbiz icons.

Opening week performances will take place at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 23; 8:00 p.m. Friday, July 24; and at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26. The run continues with shows at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 30; 8:00 p.m. Friday, July 31; and at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Sunday, August 2. The final week's performances will be at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 8 and 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Sunday, August 9.

Tickets for "Sinatra at 100" are priced at $34, and are on sale now via Brown Paper Tickets.

Jazz this week: Marcus Miller, Jonah Parzen-Johnson, Pamela Rose's "Wild Women of Song," Jazz Edge Big Band, and more

There's lots going on in jazz and creative music this week in St. Louis, and so you don't miss out, here's a special early edition of our weekly highlights post...

Tuesday, June 16
Tonight, bassist Marcus Miller and his band return to St. Louis to begin a three-night stand continuing through Thursday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Miller, also known for his production work on behalf of musicians including Miles Davis and David Sanborn, is on tour promoting a new album, Afrodeezia. As the title suggests, the recording adds some African and "world music" flavors to Miller's usual stew of funk and jazz elements.

For more about that, plus videos of performances of music from Afrodeezia, see this post from a week ago Saturday. And for even more, Miller (pictured, top left) talked with Calvin Wilson of the Post-Dispatch for a brief preview story about the gig.

Also tonight, baritone saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson will be in town to perform at Foam, 3359 Jefferson Ave. You can find out more about him and see some examples of his electronically augmented solo performances in this post from last Saturday.

Wednesday, June 17
Singer Joe Mancuso will be this week's featured performer for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden; Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "Open Mic Night" at Tavern of Fine Arts; and guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran plays at Nathalie's.

Update - 1:30 p.m. 5/16/15: Due to rain saturating the grounds of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Joe Mancuso's concert has been postponed until next year. Instead, Mancuso and band will play a free show starting at 7:30 p.m. at Thurman Grill.

Thursday, June 18
Guitarist Dave Black and friends, including featured vocalist Feyza Eren, will perform at Nathalie’s; and pianist Brad Ellebrecht and singer Diane Vaughn will play a duo show at Tavern of Fine Arts.

Friday, June 19
The trio of bassist Bob DeBoo, saxophonist Dave Stone, and drummer Montez Coleman will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro; and the Jazz Edge Big Band presents "A Tribute to St. Louis Saxophonists" at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, with guest performances from Eric Person (pictured, center left) as well as the Bosman Twins, Willie Akins and Paul DeMarinis.

Also on Friday, the St. Louis Big Band will present "Tap + Jazz," featuring tap dancer Tommy Wasiuta performing with the band, at Casa Loma Ballroom; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Backstreet Jazz & Blues Club in Westport.

Saturday, June 20 
The Old Rock House presents their second annual "Summer Gras," an all-day event with music from New Orleans' Dumpstaphunk, with Ivan Neville on keyboards, plus Austin, TX funk band Mingo Fishtrap, singer-songwriter Marc Broussard, the Funky Butt Brass Band, and more. 

Elsewhere around town, trumpeter Jim Manley and friends - singer Charlie B, keyboardist Arthur Toney, guitarist Randy Bahr and drummer Joe Weber - return to Nathalie's; guitarist Todd Mosby and cellist Traci Andreotti will greet the summer solstice with a duo performance at Seedz Café; and Gypsy jazz band Franglais hosts a late-night jam session at Evangeline's.

Sunday, June 21
San Francisco-based singer Pamela Rose (pictured, lower left) makes her St. Louis debut with a benefit performance of her show "Wild Women of Song” at the Ferring Jazz Bistro.

Monday, June 22
Rose presents a free performance of "The Life and Music of Etta James" at the  Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris Stowe State University; and singer Dean Christopher reprises his "Rat Pack & More" show at One 19 Tapas and Wine Bar.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Roy Hargrove, "Holiday Brasstravaganza," Ellington's "Nutcracker,"a big band murder mystery, and more

For this last week before Christmas, the calendar of jazz and creative music performances in and around St. Louis features the long-overdue return of a top touring trumpeter, plus several holiday-themed shows and some other special presentations from local performers. Let's go to the highlights....

Wednesday, December 17
Trumpeter Roy Hargrove returns to Jazz at the Bistro to begin his first St. Louis gig as a leader in more than a decade.

When he last played here, Hargrove (pictured) already had recorded several well-regarded albums of hard-bop-inspired sounds and was tagged as a rising star. Since then, he's gained a good deal of additional recognition for leading groups influenced by Latin-jazz (the Grammy-winning Crisol) and funk (RH Factor), but during his four nights in St. Louis, Hargrove will be fronting a quintet playing in a more straight-ahead style.

For more about what Hargrove's been up to, and some video samples of his quintet performing earlier this year on tour in Europe, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also on Wednesday, singer Tony Viviano presents his "Christmas in St. Louis" show at Vito's in the Valley; the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra plays at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company; Cabaret Project St. Louis will hold their monthly "Open Mic Night" at the Tavern of Fine Arts: and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play at The Feasting Fox.

Thursday, December 18
Miss Jubilee plays an early show at the Blues City Deli; guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson will pair up at Evangeline's; and guitarist Dave Black will be joined by a rhythm section and guest vocalist at Nathalie’s.

Friday, December 19
The Funky Butt Brass Band will present the first of two nights of their sixth annual "Holiday Brasstravaganza" at Off Broadway, featuring a long list of guest performers and various seasonal hijinks.

Also on Friday, the St. Louis Big Band adds a theatrical element to their usual program of danceable swing and pop, staging an retro-themed, audience-participation "murder mystery" at Casa Loma Ballroom; and singer and multi-instrumentalist Alan Ox pays tribute to Ol' Blue Eyes with his show "Straight-Up, A Shot of Sinatra" at the Sheldon Concert Hall, backed by pianist  Dave Venn, drummer Miles Vandiver, bassist Dave Troncoso, and Dave Black on guitar.

Saturday, December 20
Trumpeter Jim Manley duets with guitarist Randy Bahr at One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar.

Sunday, December 21
The Ambassadors of Swing perform at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 10126 E Watson; and BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups has a double bill with singer/guitarist Tommy Halloran playing the matinee, and percussionist Joe Pastor and the Legacy Jazz Band taking the night shift.

Monday, December 22
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band, stocked with many alumni of the jazz program at SIUE, will present Duke Ellington’s famous arrangement of Tchaikovsky's “Nutcracker” along with other selected Ellington favorites at Jazz at the Bistro. The show is one set only, but if you can't make it on Monday, you should know that the program also will be repeated on Tuesday.. The program repeats on Tuesday, and while tickets for the first sets are nearly sold out, there are seats remaining for the second sets on both nights.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Support your local jazz musician

While there are no well-known touring jazz acts passing through St. Louis this week, it's still shaping up to be a fine few days to get out and hear some live music.

Fortunately for those so inclined, there's no shortage of upcoming gigs featuring St. Louis musicians from which to choose, including a number of free outdoor concerts. Here are a few suggestions...

Tonight, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents the first of four free "Jazz in July" concerts this month, featuring saxophonist Jay Hutson and Da Wolvez performing in the Tisch Commons of the Danforth University Center on campus.

Also tonight, Miss Jubilee plays a free outdoor concert at Bluebird Park in Ellisville, and singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran is at The Shaved Duck.

Tomorrow night, the Coleman Hughes Project with singer Adrianne Felton will perform a free outdoor show at Ferguson CityWalk; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes are at Nathalie's; and the St. Louis Big Band (pictured) plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Also on Friday, pianist James Matthews and singer Babs Robnett will team up for an early-evening set at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups; pianist Matt Villinger brings his trio to Thurman Grill; and Wack-A-Doo plays at Evangeline's.

On Saturday night, the Funky Butt Brass Band will play a free outdoor concert at Kirkwood Park; guitarist Tom Byrne leads a trio at Evangeline's; singer Wendy Gordon returns to The Choice Restaurant; and, after a week off for Independence Day, bassist Bob DeBoo and friends resume their weekly gig and jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

On Sunday evening, the St. Charles Municipal Big Band will perform in a free outdoor concert at Frontier Park on the river in downtown St. Charles.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday percussionist Joe Pastor's group returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; and on Tuesday, singer Joe Mancuso and pianist Nicky Schlueter perform at the Tavern of Fine Arts, and the Gateway Jazz Quintet will play a free outdoor concert at Fanetti Park, 7601 Ivory on the south side.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Dave Scott & Jason Swagler, Denise Thimes, The Bosman Twins, St. Louis Big Band, and more

Here's a look at some of the most noteworthy jazz and creative music performances coming up over the next few days in and around St. Louis....

Tonight, California-based trumpeter Dave Scott, whose credits include gigs with Boz Scaggs, Toto, Michael Feinstein, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and numerous others, will be in town to join forces with saxophonist Jason Swagler for a performance at the Kranzberg Arts Center; and guitarist Todd Mosby plays at Seedz Cafe.

On Friday, vocalist Erika Johnson will take the stage at Voce, while the singing sisters Feyza Eren and Ayse Eren will be accompanied by guitarist Dave Black at The Wine Press.

Also on Friday, singer Joe Mancuso, trumpeter Jim Manley and pianist Arthur Toney will team up to perform at Robbie's House of Jazz; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes play at Nathalie's; the Funky Butt Brass Band returns to the Broadway Oyster Bar; and Second Generation Swing plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

On Saturday, the Bosman Twins (pictured), singer Denise Thimes, and percussionist Herman Semidey's Latin Fire Ensemble will be the headliners of Gitana Productions' “Karamu: Fiesta of Latin and African American Music” at Union Avenue Christian Church in the Central West End.

Also on Saturday, pianist Carolbeth True plays at the Mahogany Grille in the Omni Majestic Hotel downtown; the WirePilots will perform at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and guitarist Larry Brown, Jr. returns to Robbie's House of Jazz.

Then on Sunday, saxophonist Jim Stevens will play a matinee at Chandler Hill Winery in Defiance; guitarist Tom Byrne and saxophonist Sam Hargadine will be at the Schlafly Brewery and Tap Room downtown; and Miss Jubilee performs at Nathalie's.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday the Coleman Hughes Project with Adrienne Felton will play a "Juneteenth" show in the Great Hall of the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park; and the St. Louis Big Band will perform for the "Notes From Home" series at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Marcus Roberts Trio, Denise Thimes with Cyrus Chestnut and Tom Braxton, Pedrosaxo, and more

Although it's getting to the end of the spring presenting season for jazz and creative music here in St. Louis, this Mother's Day weekend nevertheless offers plenty of options for your listening enjoyment. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, pianist Marcus Roberts (pictured) and his trio will be the featured performers for the tenth annual "Evening of Hope" event benefiting the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Roberts last played in St. Louis in November 2012 concert for the Sheldon's jazz series, and you can read more about him and see some performance clips in this video showcase post from just before that gig. For info on ticket availability for tonight's show, contact The Sheldon directly.

Tomorrow night, guitarists Shaun Robinson and Eric Slaughter team up with drummer Montez Coleman and bassist Jahmal Nichols for "Great Guitars 2014" at Jazz at the Bistro; and the St. Louis Big Band will present an extravaganza they're calling "Gatsby Night," with "aerial dancers, music from the 2013 soundtrack, food, flappers and gangsters," at the Casa Loma Ballroom .

Also on Friday, the contemporary/smooth jazz quintet Dreaming In Colour plays at Robbie's House of Jazz; Koplant No performs at the Tavern of Fine Arts; guitarist Dave Black and Joe Mancuso return to Chaser's Lounge in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; singer Mary Dyson takes the stage at Voce; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be at Nathalie's.

Saturday offers several performances featuring female vocalists, as Wendy Gordon settles into a new weekly matinee at The Choice Restaurant, 3265 S. Jefferson Ave; Ann Dueren's trio with Jan Ammerman and Bob Stout is back at Il Bel Lago; Anita Rosamond sings for diners at Truffles; and Miss Jubilee will play at the Trainwreck Saloon in Westport Plaza.

Then on Sunday, singer Denise Thimes will present her annual Mother's Day concert at The Sheldon, with special guests including pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who was here last month to play with his trio and guitarist Russell Malone at the Bistro, and saxophonist Tom Braxton, just back from playing in Japan with guitarist Earl Klugh.

Also on Sunday, Saxquest presents another in their series of free workshops and performances, this time featuring Pedro Rafael Garcia Moreno, aka Pedrosaxo, who's developed a number of unusual performance techniques, allegedly including an ability to play, sing, beatbox, and throat-sing all at the same time.

Lastly, Sunday is when the "Inner Jazz" series Kirkwood United Church of Christ will present their final concert of the season, featuring Rev. Cliff Aerie's Oikos Ensemble plus some words from special guest, writer and filmmaker Phil Cousineau.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday singer Dean Christopher will perform his Rat Pack repertoire at One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar; and percussionist Joe Pastor's group will be back at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short local news items of interest:

* With the wrecking ball poised to swing at the historic Castle Ballroom, site of performances by many important jazz musicians, Nicholas J. C. Pistor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that much of the recent deterioration of the building came while it was owned by groups that included some St. Louis city officials.

* Also on the historic preservation front, Steve Smith, owner of the south side tavern The Royale, has recorded a video in support of the effort to save the Palladium, aka Club Plantation, another building in the Grand Center district with a musically significant history that also is threatened with demolition. The effort to raise awareness and save the building is being led by artist and author Kevin Belford, who created the collage of musicians who played at Club Plantation used to illustrate this post.

* In this week's Miles Davis-related news, Peter Bacon of the UK blog The Jazz Breakfast wonders if the number of Davis CD box sets has reached the saturation point.

* Meanwhile, an article in Audiophile Review critiques the quality of various reissues of Davis' landmark album Kind of Blue.

* The Presenters Dolan have posted to their Facebook page an album of pictures from last weekend's Gaslight Cabaret Festival performances by singer Marissa Mulder.

* Singer Connie Fairchild, whose Gaslight Cabaret Festival performance on Saturday night is sold out, was interviewed by Terry Perkins for the St. Louis Public Radio website.

* Guitarist Pat Metheny was interviewed by Calvin Wilson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for a preview story about Metheny's Unity Group concert this Sunday at The Pageant. 

* Trumpeter Roger Ingram has posted to his Facebook page a photo album from his workshops and performances at last week's Mineral Area College Jazz Festival

* The St. Louis Big Band's Ryan Sheehan was profiled by the Webster University Journal.

* Guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran was interviewed by Liz Schranck of KDHX.

* The New Orleans-style cuisine at Evangeline's, the new Central West End spot that features live music several nights a week, was reviewed by the Riverfront Times' Cheryl Baeh.

* St. Louis writers K. Curtis Lyle and Quincy Troupe spoke on the program New Day Jazz about the late author, poet and critic Amiri Baraka.

* Jazz St. Louis reports via this week's email newsletter that their 2014 fundraising gala held last Friday at the Ritz-Carlton raised more than $260,000 for the organization's education programs, making it the second most successful gala in JSL's history. You can see photos from the gala, which featured music from saxophonist Maceo Parker, on Jazz St. Louis' Facebook page.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday night on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will feature jazz interpretations of the music of composer Stephen Sondheim by clarinetist Don Byron, saxophonist Grover Washington Jr., singer Sarah Vaughan, and others. Listen in at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Then, this Sunday evening on KWMU's "Jazz Unlimited," host Dennis Owsley continues his exploration of music recorded live in New York, ranging from vintage tracks featuring Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan with Lester Young, Dizzy Gillespie, Don Byas with Thelonious Monk, and many others to more recent recordings by Chucho Valdes, the Gil Evans Orchestra, the Dave Holland Quintet, the World Saxophone Quartet, Medeski, Martin & Wood, the Anthony Braxton Quartet with Marty Ehrlich, and Hamiet Bluiett.

The program can be heard at 9:00 p.m. Sundays over the air on KWMU (90.7 FM) or online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org. (This is a "pledge week" for KWMU, so if you're so inclined, you can show your support for "Jazz Unlimited" by calling in during the program with a membership contribution.)

Also on Sunday nights: While Josh Weinstein presents avant-jazz, improvised music and more each week on "All Soul, No Borders", airing at 10:30 p.m. KDHX (88.1 FM), he rarely tips his playlists in advance. However, we have been remiss in not noting in this space that once the show has aired, you can see the ASNB playlists, and more importantly, access an audio stream of the previous two weeks' shows, via the KDHX website.

(Edited after posting to add the link to the Pat Metheny interview.)

Jazz this week: Holiday jazz continues, Doug Lawrence, St. Louis Rivermen, and more

The rush to the holidays is on, and if you're looking for some seasonal jazz this weekend in St. Louis, there's plenty to be had, along with an assortment of other jazz and creative music events. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, there's a trifecta of big band shows, as the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra plays at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company; the St. Charles Community College Jazz Big Band and Jazz Faculty Sextet perform a free concert at the Shook Fine Arts Building on the SCC campus, and the new Jazz St. Louis Big Band will offer a program centered on Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker Suite" in a sold-out show at Jazz at the Bistro.

Tomorrow, Jazz St. Louis' JazzU student ensemble will play for early evening shoppers at Whole Foods Market in Brentwood, and multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman will share some of his harmonica knowledge in another workshop at Mozingo Music.

On Friday, the parade of holiday-themed shows continues as the Latin jazz group Musica Slesa returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights of a "Feliz Navidad" celebration. Also in keeping with the holiday theme, the Webster Groves High School Jazz Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra will present a free performance of Ellington's "Nutcracker Suite" and Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker at the St. Louis Art Museum.

Elsewhere around town on Friday, singer Tony Viviano pays tribute to Frank Sinatra's birthday at the Four Seasons Winery in Chesterfield; singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will duet at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and vocal group Java Jived takes the stage at Robbie's House of Jazz. On the instrumental side, the St. Louis Big Band will play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom, pianist Ptah Williams leads a trio at Cigar Inn, and guitarist Tom Byrne will mix holiday songs with music from Pat Metheny at the house concert venue KindaBlue.

On Saturday afternoon, the veteran saxophonist Doug Lawrence will be in town for a free performance and workshop at Saxquest. Lawrence (pictured) currently is the featured tenor saxophonist with the Count Basie Orchestra, and has an extensive list of credits that includes work with Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Roy Eldridge, Buck Clayton, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Wild Bill Davis, Hank Jones, Mel Lewis, George Cables and many others.

On Saturday evening, Three Central will perform in a holiday concert at Blessed Hope Bible Church; violinist David McNair leads a quartet at Robbie's House of Jazz, and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe.

On Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club will present their final concert of the year, featuring traditional jazz from the St. Louis Rivermen at the Doubletree Hotel in Westport.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the eclectic acoustic music group The 442s will be at the Tavern of Fine Arts, and the Sessions Big Band will play at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Red Baraat, Two Times True, St. Louis Big Band, and more

While it's not a very busy week for touring jazz musicians visiting St. Louis, as usual our local musicians and bands stand ready with a plethora of performances of their own. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, alumni of the music programs at Parkway West High School will present a big band jazz concert in tribute to former band director John Baker at Sky Music Lounge in Ballwin.

Also tonight, singer Joe Mancuso leads a quartet at Cafe Eau in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; pianist Ptah Williams and his trio are at Troy's Jazz Gallery; and it's the monthly Avant Garde Arts Night featuring live improvised music at Tavern of Fine Arts.

Tomorrow night, the Brooklyn, NY based group Red Baraat will be in town to play at The Gramophone. Led by dhol player Sunny Jain - the dhol is a double-headed drum used with variations throughout the Indian subcontinent - Red Baraat come across as sort of a South Asian-flavored variant on the New Orleans brass band concept, with a sound influenced by jazz, funk, go-go and Latin delivered by drumset, percussion, sousaphone and five horns.  

Shruggy Ji, the group’s second full-length studio record, was released in January, and a follow-up album of remixes and concurrently recorded jams, Big Talk, is set to drop next month.You can see and hear Red Baraat in this video of the Tiny Desk Concert they did recently for NPR.

Also on Friday, Two Times True (pictured) plays the first of two nights kicking off the summer season at Jazz at the Bistro. Taking their name from the versatile pianist Carolbeth True and her son, drummer David True, the band also includes bassist Glen Smith and saxophonist Larry Johnson, and plays a mix of modern jazz, standards and original material.

Other noteworthy gigs on Friday include trumpeter Charlie Rose's Jazz Creations, featuring saxophonist Robb Cunningham, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Jerome "Scrooge" Harris, at Robbie's House of Jazz; and guitarist Tom Byrne's trio at Cigar Inn.

On Saturday afternoon, singer Wendy Gordon will perform for a jazz brunch at Ace Bar's and Grill, 9600 Natural Bridge Rd., while trumpeter Joe Bozzi plays a matinee at Frontenac Grill. Then on Saturday evening, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will do an early set at Thurman Grill for the neighborhood's "Loop Festival"; the Ann Dueren Trio is at Il Bel Lago; and singer-guitarist Tommy Halloran plays the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday the St. Louis Big Band will return the Sheldon Concert Hall for a "Tribute to the Greatest Generation," featuring music from Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, plus vocal numbers originally made famous by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short local news items of interest:

* Today is saxophonist Oliver Lake's 70th birthday, and Lake (pictured) is celebrating with a weekend of shows at NYC's Jazz Standard.

* Drummer Montez Coleman was profiled for the St. Louis Beacon by Terry Perkins.

* Saxquest has posted on their Facebook page a photo album from Sunday's performance and clinic by Bob Sheppard.

* And speaking of photo sets and Facebook, the St. Louis Big Band has posted some pictures from their gig last Saturday at Chesterfield Amphitheater.

* Are drummer Dave Weckl and keyboardist Jay Oliver, who first collaborated as up-and-coming musicians here in their hometown of St. Louis, getting ready for a new project together? Weckl this week teased the possibility by posting this photo to his Facebook page.

* Trumpeter, singer and U City native Jeremy Davenport was interviewed last week by News Orleans' WWNO radio. Davenport will be back in St. Louis at least twice during the 2012-13 presenting season - at Jazz at the Bistro for Thanksgiving weekend, and again in February at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

* While he was in town earlier this week to play two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, bassist Marcus Miller also stopped by the studios of local Fox affiliate KTVI for a short interview.

* And speaking of the Bistro, a recent article from the St. Louis Examiner on the website of CBS Radio affiliate KMOX named the club as one of the "Top Places for Rekindling Romance in St. Louis."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short local news items of interest:

* St. Louis' FOX affiliate KTVI had two jazz-related stories during this past Wednesday's local newscasts. The St. Louis Big Band (pictured) and singer Joe Mancuso were featured in a performance segment, and Jazz St. Louis executive director Gene Dobbs Bradford was interviewed about JSL's new season. The StLBB performs this Saturday evening at Chesterfield Amphitheater; Jazz St. Louis' season opens on Sunday with Marcus Miller at Jazz at the Bistro.

* And speaking of Marcus Miller, the bassist talked about picking cover songs for his new album Renaissance in an interview with the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, which can be viewed online here.

* This also is the opening weekend for the Sheldon Art Galleries' new Al Hirschfeld exhibit, which focuses on the famed caricaturist and St. Louis native's interest in jazz and Broadway; see the stories by the St. Louis Beacon's Nancy Fowler and the P-D's Calvin Wilson for details.

* Also from the Post, Peter Martin shares some background about the piece he's writing for the Sheldon's 100th anniversary via what looks to be an email to Johnson; and book editor Jane Henderson has word that a 1962 Playboy magazine interview with Miles Davis is the first to be offered by the magazine for purchase in the Kindle ebook format.

* Ragtime pianist and composer Scott Joplin, who once lived in St. Louis, and Kansas City's renowned saxophonist and bebop pioneer Charlie Parker are among the latest inductees into the Missouri Music Hall of Fame in St. Joseph.

Jazz this week: Marcus Miller, Bob Sheppard, tributes to Horace Silver and the Blue Note sound, and more

It looks to be a nice weekend in St. Louis, weather-wise, and there's also a nice selection of live jazz and creative music available in local venues as the fall presenting season begins.

And speaking of seasons, tonight Jazz St. Louis will have their first-ever public "season preview party" at Jazz at the Bistro. (They've had similar events before for subscribers, but this is designed to give even Bistro novices a chance to get a feel for the room and the music.) The free event will feature a multimedia presentation on the organization's schedule for 2012-13 at the Bistro and Touhill Performing Arts Center, along with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, water and tea, plus a cash bar. Though the RSVP deadline has passed, you can find out if there any spots still available by contacting JSL's Devin Rodino at 314-289-4030 or devin@jazzstl.org.

Also tonight, there are jazz jam sessions on both sides of the Mississippi River, with guitarist Tom Byrne hosting at Highway 61 Roadhouse in Webster Groves and drummer Paul Shaw taking the lead at the Cigar Inn in Belleville.

Tomorrow night, trumpeter Randy Holmes leads a tribute to Horace Silver at Robbie's House of Jazz; saxophonist Tim Cunningham will be back at Jazz on Broadway; and Shaw will front a quartet featuring saxophonist Kristian Baarsvik, bassist Bob DeBoo and vibraphonist Tom Rickard at Cigar Inn.

Also on Friday, Lindy Hop St. Louis presents the first in a series of monthly swing dances at the Mahler Ballroom in the Central West End, with lessons followed by live music for dancing from The Sidemen.

In addition, it's also is the first day of the St. Louis Art Fair in Clayton, which usually presents some musical acts of interest to jazz listeners, starting this year with a main-stage set on Friday from multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris.

Saturday's lineup includes the student ensembles Jazz in Outer Space and the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars on the Forsyth stage, and smooth jazz/fusion band The Freedom on the main stage. The festival closes on Sunday with music including Wack A Doo and Le Jazz Hot on the Forsyth stage, and The Poor People of Paris and the Usual Suspects on the main stage.

Also on Saturday, the St. Louis Big Band with singer Joe Mancuso will play at the Chesterfield Amphitheater.

On Sunday afternoon, saxophonist Bob Sheppard will be at Saxquest for a free performance, demonstration and clinic. Sheppard, a Los Angeles-based studio veteran who also has toured and recorded with Steely Dan and many other major rock, jazz and pop acts, will perform an informal concert with bassist Chris Watrous and drummer Drew Weiss. The program also will showcase products from MACSAX, manufacturers of a line of saxophones and saxophone mouthpieces that includes Sheppard-endorsed mouthpieces for alto and tenor. MACSAX reps will be on hand to answer questions and offer mouthpiece consultation and re-facing work.

Then on Sunday evening, Jazz St. Louis kicks off their 2012-13 season with the first of two evenings featuring bassist, composer and multi-instrumentalist Marcus Miller (pictured) at Jazz at the Bistro. Though Miller was here in August 2011 with David Sanborn and George Duke at the Touhill, his gig at the Bistro is, so far as we can tell, his first small-club appearance here in St. Louis. Hardcore fans of the bassist - who, among his many accomplishments, wrote and produced what many listeners and critics consider to be Miles Davis' last great recordings - no doubt already are salivating at the chance to see him work up close in the intimate space of the Bistro instead of a theater or auditorium.

Miller's eighth studio album as a leader, Renaissance, was released last month on the Concord label. (You can hear some abbreviated samples from the album here.) For more on that, check out Miller's recent interview with the blog Alternate Takes. And for some video samples of the bassist and his band in action, see this StLJN post from a week ago Saturday. (A couple of the videos originally included in the post have since been removed from YouTube; I'll be trying to find replacement versions, and if successful, will update ASAP.)

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday, in addition to Miller's second night at the Bistro, the Webster University Faculty Jazz Ensemble will present their first concert of the season, "Cool Struttin': Soulful Sounds from Blue Note Records," at Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus; and the Sessions Big Band will play their monthly gig at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

On Tuesday, vocal octet Java Jived and pianist Carolbeth True's group Two Times True will team up to present a program called "All American Jazz in Remembrance of 9/11" at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Also on Tuesday, BB's has guitarist Dave Black and his band in the early evening slot, followed by saxophonist Jim Stevens' group.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

(Edited after posting to add info on the Lindy Hop St. Louis event. Edited again to fix typos.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short local news items of interest:

* The Riverfront Times' Joseph Hess writes briefly about Saturday's show by guitarist Bill Horist and bassist Darin Gray at the Schlafly Tap Room.

* The Village Voice has a review of one of last week's shows by saxophonist and St. Louis native Oliver Lake's Trio 3 at NYC's Birdland.

* The St. Louis Big Band has posted on their Facebook page some photo sets documenting recent gigs at the Casa Loma Ballroom and Sheldon Concert Hall.

* The Regional Arts Commission has put out a last call for St. Louis artists, musicians and other creative types to complete their "Artists Count!" survey. Next Tuesday, July 31 is the last day to take the survey at http://www.artistscount.com/.

* The Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival is looking for musicians to enter its "Webster's Got Talent" contest. The winners get a opening slot on one of the stages at this festival on Saturday, September 15. To see more details and download an application form, visit the festival website. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, August 14.

* Artist and author Kevin Belford's campaign to save the Palladium Building, aka Club Platnation, continues this week with the release of another graphic (pictured) designed to raise awareness of the threat to this historic structure that hosted performances from many of the greatest jazz and blues musicians of the 20th century.

Belford also linked to a new wrinkle in the story: a KTVI report that the proposed expansion of the Cochran VA Medical Center that threatens the Palladium also could wipe out the newest location of the popular soul food restaurant Sweetie Pie's, owned by former Ikettte Robbie Montgomery. Stay tuned...

* Lastly, have you voted you in StLJN's poll asking which nationally known St. Louis musicians should be asked to play at the proposed David Sanborn Jazz Festival next year? If not, go here sometime before next Tuesday and voice your choices!